Transcript Use of Border Data Collection to Measure International Migration Flows in Sri Lanka H.R.Gunasekera Director Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka.

Use of Border Data Collection to
Measure International Migration Flows
in Sri Lanka
H.R.Gunasekera
Director
Department of Census and Statistics
Sri Lanka
Border Data Collection
 Border control is the major responsibility of the
Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE).
 DIE controls and regulates the entry and departure of Sri
Lankans and foreigners.
 Border control system is fully computerized.
 Every passport is scanned at the point of arrival/
departure and convert the information into the data
base.
Border Data Collection contd.,
 Items converted to data base.
• Flight number
• Passport number
• Name
• Nationality
• Sex
 Completeness and accuracy is extremely high.
Tabulations Available
 Only the following tabulations can be produced.
• Arrivals by nationality and sex
• Departures by nationality and sex
 Tabulations are transmitted to Department of Census
and Statistics (DCS).
 Published in Annual Statistical Abstract and website of
DCS www.statistics.gov.lk
Limitations of Border Statistics
 Confined only to arrivals, departures by nationality and
sex.
 International migrants are not identified among the
travellers.
 Valuable information is collected in embarkation/
disembarkation cards.
 Can be made to improve border statistics.
Embarkation/Disembarkation Cards
 Every foreigner or a citizen who enter into or exit from
Sri Lanka needs to complete embarkation or
disembarkation card.
 Embarkation/Disembarkation cards contain
• Flight number
• Profession
• Name
• Passport number, date of issue
and place of issue
• Sex
• Nationality
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Visa number, date and place
(disembarkation only)
• Address in Sri Lanka
• Address abroad (home address)
Embarkation/Disembarkation Cards
contd.,
• Purpose of visit
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Holiday/Pleasure
Media coverage
Employment
Seminar/Conference/Exhibition
Education
In Transit
Visit Friends/Relatives
Official/Business
Religion/Cultural
Return to Sri Lanka (disembarkation only)
Other (specify)….
• Port of final destination (port of final embarkation)
 This document is not computerized yet.
Improving Border Statistics
 Identification of international migrants in conformity with
UN definitions.
 Purpose of visit is very valuable to identify the outflows
by education, employment etc. ; useful for policy
planning
 Need to computerize the cards (scan).
• check for completeness
• additional supervision
• time constraints
 Need to record district of residence for Sir Lankans in
cards to identify net migration by districts; absence is a
drawback in estimating the annual mid year population.
Suggested Additional Tabulations
 Arrivals by nationality, purpose of travel and sex.
 Departures of Sri Lankans by country, purpose of travel
and sex.
 Arrivals of Sri Lankans by district of residence and sex.
 Departure of Sri Lankans by district of residence and
sex.
Complementary Source: Sri Lanka Bureau
of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
 Functions
• regulation, promotion of foreign employment
• protection, welfare of Sri Lankan employed abroad.
 Every Sri Lankan leaving for employment abroad should
register with SLBFE.
 Maintain a data base
• Departure
• Private remittances
• Complaints received on labour contracts
• Welfare measures taken for their children
• Insurance compensation payments
• Job vacancies
Complementary Source: Sri Lanka Bureau
of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) contd.
 Outflows available
 Published in Annual Statistical Handbook on Foreign
Employment and web www.slbfe.lk
 Limitations
• all are not registered.
• departures reflect the number registered and not actual
values.
 Improvements
• match PPNo. of those registered in SLBFE with PPNo. of
departures collected by DIE.
• matching is error prone; hence need rigid controls, scan
passports at SLBFE.
Complementary Source: United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
 Collects data on repatriation, Sri Lanka refugees abroad
and refugees and asylum seekers in Sri Lanka.
 Every refugee seeking asylum in Sri Lanka needs to be
registered; hence such data are complete and accurate.
 Available information
 Data published in UNHCR’s web-site www.unhcr.lk on
monthly basis (latest May 2006).
 Improvements
• Provide totals only; need at least age, sex breakdowns.
• Sri Lankan refugees by country should be published.
• Computation of recognition rates.
THANK YOU !